Stephen Bunting is convinced that Luke Littler has the potential to finish his career as the most outstanding darts player ever, even if his total trophy haul never eclipses that of the legendary Phil Taylor. The 19‑year‑old prodigy was on track for an unprecedented clean sweep of the 2026 ranking circuit, only to see his run halted by an unexpected defeat at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam. Entering the season as world number one, Littler had already claimed the first six premier titles on the calendar.
After his dramatic World Championship victory at Alexandra Palace in January, he added the World Masters, the UK Open, the Premier League, the World Cup of Darts and the World Matchplay to his résumé. The momentum suggested a historic domination of the sport, and many pundits imagined a year in which he would also capture the World Series of Darts Finals, the World Grand Prix, the European Championship, the Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals – a total of eleven major crowns in a single season.
That dream was shattered in the quarter‑finals, when Jonny Clayton edged out Littler in a tightly contested match. Despite the loss, the darts community has already begun to talk about the possibility that Littler could become the greatest player the game has ever seen. Bunting, a seasoned professional himself, answered a Sky Sports News query with a firm "yes," emphasizing that Littler still has a great deal to offer the sport.
"I do," Bunting said. "I think he's got a lot more to give the sport." He went on to acknowledge that Phil Taylor, who retired in 2018 after a career that included 16 World Championships, will likely retain the edge in terms of sheer title numbers. "I think he'll win a lot more world titles, but I don't think he'll win as many as Phil," Bunting explained. "The standard of play is a lot better than in Phil's day.
Phil did dominate." Bunting highlighted how Littler has reshaped the demographic landscape of darts. "[Littler] is someone who has changed our sport.
He's brought the age demographic of the sport down. If you ask people who a darts player is, they all say Luke Littler – that's how powerful his name is," he noted.
The youngster's influence extends beyond the oche; his popularity among younger fans has injected fresh energy into a game that was once perceived as the domain of older players. Nevertheless, Bunting was quick to defer the ultimate judgment to the two athletes themselves.
"I think certainly Luke's ceiling is phenomenal," he said. "Based on his ceiling he is the best player in the world. Phil 'The Power' Taylor won 16 World Championships – you can't take that away from Phil.
If Phil tells me he's the best darts player in the world, he's the best darts player in the world. I'll leave it for them to discuss." He added a personal note about his own ambitions: "I'd be happy to win one or two world titles, but Luke is smashing it already. He's playing fantastic, won another European Tour, so he's pretty unstoppable.
But there are a couple of players behind him who also have high ceilings, so on the day, who knows what can happen." During an appearance on the Love The Darts podcast, Bunting addressed a less flattering moment from the World Series of Darts Finals when Littler was booed and whistled at by a small portion of the crowd. "A loud whistle really does throw you off and I've had it in my career. It's not nice and it's off‑putting when you're throwing for a double," Bunting observed, adding that such behavior represents a minority of spectators.
Looking ahead, Bunting himself is preparing for the World Grand Prix in Leicester, where he hopes to improve on his previous semi‑final finishes. "Definitely," he said when asked about his chances of winning the title. "Hopefully I can go in with some really good form, these next few tournaments push me there with some confidence.
The Grand Prix is a double‑off format, I really enjoy hitting my doubles. It's going to be a great tournament. It's brilliant Sky Sports covers it and hopefully I can put on a good show for the fans and get the title." Fans at the Mattioli Arena will also be treated to Bunting's new walk‑on anthem, "Titanium," which he chose because it resonates with his son and replaces his previous, more whimsical selections. "My son's favourite song," he explained.
"It was an easy one to pick. I wanted to get away from the Peter Griffin and the 'Bird is the Word' song. Everyone's been really positive towards it.
It's one of the greatest walk‑on songs in my opinion. It's really a special moment when I'm doing the actions and they're singing it back to me.
It makes me feel so happy." He emphasized how the crowd's energy can act as a "12th man" that lifts his performance: "When the crowd are singing 'let's go Bunting‑mental', they really are my 12th man. To be able to use the crowd as a power, it's really important, they're a huge part of my game and it's nice to be able to give something back to them." Beyond the oche, Bunting is promoting his new autobiography, "Bulletproof," a title that nods to both the lyrics of "Titanium" and his own nickname.
In a recent Sky Sports interview, he opened up about the darker side of his career, including the social‑media hate he sometimes endures and a period when gambling became a destructive outlet. "Sometimes it can be really difficult," he admitted.
"I'm lucky I've got a great team around me, a brilliant family and some unbelievable fans and they've really helped me through a little bit of a dark time." He reflected on the "people's champion" controversy, which he feels was taken out of context, and described his journey of rebuilding confidence despite a recent dip in results. "It was important to show everyone, this was a life story, so everything needs to be in there," he said. "The gambling debts were a big part of my life.
When times were low, I'd lock myself away, and I'd be on my phone gambling. It was a horrible place to be in. I was in a rut and thankfully, a sports psychologist, hypnotist and everything about that really helped me and helped me look at it in a positive way, even though some things may not be positive, still taking a positive spin on it." Bunting hopes that sharing his struggles will help others facing similar challenges.
"Gambling was a way out at the time but I was able to put that to bed and if one little bit out of this book can help anyone in this situation, the book's a winner," he concluded. For readers who may be affected by the issues discussed—whether it be mental health, gambling addiction, or online harassment—support resources are listed at the end of the article, including Sky Help and related services. The darts calendar continues to brim with high‑profile events: the World Grand Prix (September 28 – October 4), the Grand Slam of Darts (November 14 – 22) and the World Darts Championship (December 10 – January 3) will all be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with streaming options available via NOW without a contract.